Parker man hospitalized after swimming pool accident

Anthony Chavez, a local man who grew up in Parker and lives in Lake Havasu City, is in hospital after an accident at the swimming pool at the Nautical Inn.

The accident happened on August 27th, and left Anthony with a broken C6 vertebrae and a neck held together with pins and screws. His mother Kathy told Parker Live about his current condition.

“He can move his upper body and arms,” she said. “He has some movement in his hands but not much. He can feel when you touch his legs and feet but he cannot move them on his own. He has been put in a wheelchair a couple of times and can turn the wheels on his own.”

Anthony is now at UMC Trauma Center in Las Vegas, and waiting for insurance to approve a move to St. Joseph’s Barrow Spine and Neck Institute for rehabilitation. The Institute is known throughout the nation and rated very highly, according to Kathy.

Anthony’s friend Crystal is helping to organize fundraisers for the family.

“We’re very close friends, my husband and Anthony are longtime/childhood friends and the three of us go out boating together on a regular basis, if we’re not at Wakeboard Island cable park,” she told Parker Live. “Anthony and his fiancée Amanda live in Lake Havasu with their two boys. People may know Anthony from him running the cable park at BlueWater Resort. He now works for Sun Country Marine in Lake Havasu.”

A GoFundMe page is set up HERE. A silent auction fundraiser will happen at the BlueWater Cantina during the Marina Madness event there on September 16th. For donations, text (928) 503-0525. All proceeds will go to the Chavez family.

Mom’s right about Barrow, I’m here in PHX at Barrow right now with my brother who’s recovering from brain surgery. First class neuro team, highly-skilled rehab PTs, world-class facility. Hoping insurance comes through for the transfer and wishing you strength through the challenges ahead. God Bless.